Damascus University

Faculty of Architectural Engineering

THE REVOLUTIONARY PROGRESS OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS

An Overview for the High-rise buildings progress
throughout history.

By student: Rima Alherk ‫ رﻳﻤﺎ اﻟﺤﺮك‬:‫ﺗﻘﺪﻳﻢ اﻟﻄﺎﻟﺒﺔ‬

Damascus University _ 4th year ‫ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ دﻣﺸﻖ_ اﻟﺴﻨﺔ اﻟﺮاﺑﻌﺔ‬

Faculty of Architectural Engineering ‫ﻛﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ اﻟﻌﻤﺎرﻳﺔ‬

Supervising: D.Eng. Moaid Subh. ‫إﺷﺮاف اﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮر اﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪس ﻣﺆﻳﺪ ﺻﺒﺢ‬

Keywords:
History
Definitions
Functions & Requirements
Phases
Progress
Contemporary requirements

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 ‫‪Damascus University‬‬
‫‪Faculty of Architectural Engineering‬‬

‫اﻟﻤﻠﺨﺺ‪:‬‬

‫ﻛﺎﻧﺖ وﻣﺎﺗﺰال اﻟﻤﺒﺎ�ي ﻓي اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ اﻟﻤﻌﻤﺎري ﻓي ﺗﻄﻮر ﻋﺒﺮ اﻟﺰﻣﻦ‪ ،‬ﻣﻌﺒﺮة ﻋﻦ ﺣﻞ ﻟﺴﺪ‬
‫ﺣﺎﺟﺔ ﻣﻌﻴﻨﺔ أو ﺗﻠﺒﻴﺔ ﻟﻤﺠﻤﻮﻋﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﺘﻄﻠﺒﺎت اﻟﻤﺘﻨﻮﻋﺔ وﻣﺴﺘﻤﺮة اﻟﺘﻄﻮر‪.‬‬

‫ﻇﻬﺮت اﻷﺑﺮاج اﻟﻀﺨﻤﺔ ﻣﻨﺬ زﻣﻦ ﺑﻌﻴﺪ‪ ،‬ﻟﺘﻌﺒﺮ ﻋﻦ أﻓﻜﺎر دﻳﻨﻴﺔ وﺗﺄﻛﺪ أﻫﻤﻴﺔ اﻷﻣﺎﻛﻦ‬
‫اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ واﻟﻤﻠﻜﻴﺔ‪ ,‬إذ ﻛﺎن اﻟﻬﺪف اﻷﺳﺎﺳﻲ ﻫﻮ إﻳﺠﺎد اﻟﺤﻞ اﻷﻣﺜﻞ ﻟﻠﻤﺸﻜﻠﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﻤﺜﻠﺔ‬
‫أﻣﺎﻣﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻧﺎﺣﻴﺔ ﺗﻔﻌﻴﻞ وﺗﺸﻐﻴﻞ اﻟﻤﺒﺎ�ي‪ ،‬ﺣﻴﺚ ﻟﻠﺤﻠﻮل اﻟﻤﺜ�ى ﻫﻲ اﻟﺤﻠﻮل اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻠﺒﻲ‬
‫اﻻﺣﺘﻴﺎﺟﺎت اﻟﻮﻇﻴﻔﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺪ اﻷد�ى ﻣﻦ اﻟﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻒ واﻟﺤﺪ اﻷﻋ�ى ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﻮاﺋﺪ‬
‫اﻟﺮﺑﺤﻴﺔ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺒﻘﺎء ﻓي اﻟﺤﺪود اﻟﻔﻨﻴﺔ اﻟﺠﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻘﺘﺮﺣﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ اﻟﻤﻌﻤﺎري‪ ،‬وﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬ‬
‫ﻫﺬه اﻟﻤﺒﺎ�ي اﺗﺒﻌﺖ ﻋﺪة ﻃﺮق وﻣﺮاﺣﻞ ﺗﻄﻮرت ﻋﺒﺮ اﻟﺰﻣﻦ ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻄﻮر ﻓي اﻟﻌﻠﻮم‬
‫اﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ واﻟﻤﺘﺮاﺑﻄﺔ ﻓي أن ﻣﻌﺎ‪ ,‬ﺑﺬﻟﻚ ﺗﻄﻮرت اﻷدوات اﻟﻤﺴﺘﺨﺪﻣﺔ ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﻟﺘﺰاﻳﺪ‬
‫ﻗﻮاﻋﺪ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻤﺮ ﻓي اﻟﻌﻠﻮم اﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ‪.‬‬

‫ﻧﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺗﻘﺴﻴﻢ ﻣﺮاﺣﻞ ﺗﺼﻤﻴﻢ اﻟﻤﺒﻨﻰ اﻟﻌﺎﻟي ﻟﺜﻼﺛﺔ ﻣﺮاﺣﻞ أو أﻃﻮار‪ :‬اﻟﻄﻮر اﻟﻔﻜﺮي‪،‬‬
‫اﻟﻄﻮر اﻟﺘﻤﻬﻴﺪي‪ ،‬وﻃﻮر اﻟﺘﺼﻤﻴﻢ اﻟﺘﻔﺼﻴ�ي‪ .‬ﺗﺼﻤﻴﻢ اﻟﻤﺒﻨﻰ اﻟﻌﺎﻟي ﻳﺘﻀﻤﻦ ﺗﻄﻮر ﻓي‬
‫اﻟﻮﺻﻒ اﻟﻔﻴﺰﻳﺎﺋي ﻟﺘﺼﻤﻴﻢ ﻣﻦ اﺑﺘﻜﺎر اﻹﻧﺴﺎن اﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑﺔ ﻟﻤﺠﻤﻮﻋﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻘﻴﻮد‬
‫واﻟﻤﺤﺪدات )ﻣﻌﺎﻳﻴﺮ( اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺨﺘﻠﻒ ﺗﺒﻌﺎ ﻟﻠﺘﻄﻮر اﻟﺤﺎﺻﻞ ﻓي اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ ﺑﺎﺧﺘﻼف اﻟﺰﻣﺎن‬
‫واﻟﻤﻜﺎن‪.‬‬

‫ﻋ�ى اﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺘﻄﻮر اﻟﻬﺎﺋﻞ اﻟﺬي وﺻﻠﺖ إﻟﻴﻪ اﻟﺒﺸﺮﻳﺔ ﻋ�ى اﻟﺼﻌﻴﺪ اﻟﻤﻌﻤﺎري‬
‫واﻟﻤﺠﺎﻻت اﻷﺧﺮى‪ ،‬إﻻ أﻧﻪ ﻛﺎن ﻟﻬﺬا اﻟﺘﻄﻮر ﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﺘﺄﺛﻴﺮات اﻟﺴﻠﺒﻴﺔ ﻋ�ى اﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ واﻟﻤﻨﺎخ‬
‫ﻛﻜﻞ‪ ،‬ﻣﻤﺎ اﺳﺘﻮﺟﺐ ﻣﺮاﻋﺎة ﻋﻮاﻣﻞ ﺑﻴﺌﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﺮ ﻓي اﻟﻄﺎﻗﺔ واﺳﺘﺨﺪام ﻣﻮاد ﺻﺪﻳﻘﺔ‬
‫ﻟﻠﺒﻴﺌﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺎﻫﻤﺔ ﻓي ﺗﺤﺴﻴﻦ اﻟﻈﺮوف اﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ ﻋ�ى ﻛﺎﻓﺔ اﻷﺻﻌﺪة‪ ،‬اﻧﻄﻼﻗﺎ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻔﻜﺮ‬
‫اﻟﻤﻌﻤﺎري اﻟﻤﺴﺘﺪام‪ ،‬وﺻﻮﻻ إﻟى اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬ اﻟﻤﺮاﻋﻲ ﻟﻠﺒﻴﺌﺔ‪ ،‬أي أﺻﺒﺤﺖ اﻻﺳﺘﺪاﻣﺔ ﻣﻄﻠﺐ‬
‫وﺷﺮط رﺋﻴﺴﻲ ﻓي اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﺼﻤﻴﻤﻴﺔ ﻛﻜﻞ وﻓي ﺗﻨﻔﻴﺬ اﻟﻤﺸﺎرﻳﻊ اﻟﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﺔ‬
‫ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺎﺣﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬﻳﺔ‪.‬‬
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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

Abstract
Buildings in Architecture world have been developing throughout
time expressing for a need or a set of variated requirements. Huge
towers appeared long time ago, either to express a religious
thought or to emphasis the importance of political and royal places,
the fundamental aim is to find the best solution to the problem at
hand due to optimization, the best solutions are those that satisfy
the requirements of function and integrity for the minimum capital
and operating costs and the maximum revenue income while
remaining within the aesthetic bounds imposed by the architect.
There are three phases in the design of a high-rise building:
Conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design.
The design of a high-rise building involves the development of the
physical description of an artifact to a set of given constraints and
specifications which differs from time to time and from place to
another.
Despite the tremendous development that humanity has reached,
there were some negative effects on the environment and the
climate as a whole, which necessitated taking into account
environmental factors such as energy savings and the use of
environmentally friendly materials to contribute to improving
environmental conditions at all levels, based on sustainable
architectural thought, leading to environmentally friendly
implementation, that is, borrowing has become a requirement and
a major condition in the design process as a whole and in the
implementation of integrated engineering projects from
operational point of view.
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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

Report's Outline | Content | Body

Introduction:
Buildings in Architecture world have been developing
throughout time.
Each building or structure represented an expression for a
need or a set of requirements all along the history.
Many meanings and thoughts were translated to architectural
movements and shapes.
Enormous and huge towers appeared long time ago, either to
express a religious thought or to add more uniqueness or
importance to a holy or political and royal places to perform
rituals and other social activities.
The fundamental aim in dealing with rational objective criteria
is to find the best or optimal solution to the problem at hand.
In a building optimization problem, the, best solutions are
those that satisfy the requirements of function and integrity
for the minimum capital and operating costs and the
maximum revenue income while remaining within the
aesthetic bounds imposed by the architect.

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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

History:
Tower blocks were built in Shibam, Yemen, in the 16th century,
those are the tallest mudbrick buildings in the world, some more
than 30 meters high.
High-rise apartment buildings had already appeared in antiquity:
the insulae in ancient Rome and several other cities in the Roman
Empire, some of which might have reached up 200 stairs.
Because of the destruction caused by poorly built high-rise insulae
collapsing, several Roman emperors, beginning with Augustus
(r.30 BC – 14 AD), set limits of 20 – 25 meters for multi-story
buildings, but met with limited success, as these limits were often
ignored despite the likelihood of taller insulae collapsing.
The lower floors were typically occupied by either shops or
wealthy families, while upper stories were rented out to the lower
classes.
Surviving Oxyrhynchus Papyri indicate that seven-story buildings
even existed in provincial towns, such as in third century AD
Hermopolis in Roman Egypt.
In Arab Egypt, the initial capital city of Fustat housed many high-
rise residential buildings, some seven stories tall that could
reportedly accommodate hundreds of people.
Definition:
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, residential tower,
apartment block, block of flats, or office tower is a tall building, as
opposed to a low-rise building and is defined differently in terms
of height depending on the jurisdiction.
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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

Definition:
It is used as a residential, office building, or other functions
including hotel, retail, or with multiple purposes combined
High-rise buildings are an integral part of modern urban
environments, and there are two fundamental differences
between designing them and engineering projects of a
smaller scale: 1) the consequences of design decisions are
most costly; and 2) the environmental technology of a tall
building is more complex.
High-rise buildings represent enormous private and public
investment and, most importantly, they are large consumers
of resources in the form of labor and construction materials
(Firewood 1975).

Functions & Requirements:

The foundations of high-rise buildings must sometimes support
very heavy gravity loads, and they usually consist of concrete
piers, piles, or caissons that are sunk into the ground. Beds of solid
rock are the most desirable base, but ways have been found to
distribute loads evenly even on relatively soft ground. The most
important factor in the design of high-rise buildings, however, is
the building’s need to withstand the lateral forces imposed by
winds and potential earthquakes.

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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

Most high-rises have frames made of steel or steel and concrete.

Their frames are constructed of columns (vertical-support
members) and beams (horizontal-support members). Cross-bracing
or shear walls may be used to provide a structural frame with
greater lateral rigidity in order to withstand wind stresses. Even
more stable frames use closely spaced columns at the building’s
perimeter, or they use the bundled-tube system, in which a number
of framing tubes are bundled together to form exceptionally rigid
columns.
High-rise buildings are enclosed by curtain walls; these are non-
load-bearing sheets of glass, masonry, stone, or metal that are
affixed to the building’s frame through a series of vertical and
horizontal members called mullions and muntins.
The principal means of vertical transport in a high-rise is the
elevator. It is moved by an electric motor that raises or lowers the
cab in a vertical shaft by means of wire ropes. Each elevator cab is
also engaged by vertical guide tracks and has a flexible electric
cable connected to it that provides power for lighting, door
operation, and signal transmission.
Because of their height and their large occupant populations, high-
rises require the careful provision of life-safety systems. Fire-
prevention standards should be strict, and provisions for adequate
means of egress in case of fire, power failure, or other accident
should be provided. Although originally designed for commercial
purposes, many high-rises are now planned for multiple uses. The
combination of office, residential, retail, and hotel space is
common.
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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

Phases:
Like all designs, the design of a high-rise building involves the
development of the physical description of an artifact to a set of
given constraints and specifications.
There are three phases in the design of a high-rise building:
1) conceptual, 2) preliminary, and 3) detailed design.
Conceptual design deals with the identification of different
concepts and the selection of overall best subsystems and their
configurations.
The preliminary design stage involves the initial development of
one or a few conceptual models.
Finally, the detailed design stage defines a complete solution for
all subsystems, and results in the final drawings for architectural,
structural, electrical and mechanical systems.
An overall view of the design process and the design itself is
needed when performing conceptual design.
The designer at the early stages must understand the many
factors affecting the building being designed.
Such a global approach to high-rise building design should include
account for structural efficiency, erection cost, mechanical and
electrical requirements, operating cost, quality of space and
comfort, and rental revenue. One should add to this list such
things as initial land cost, interest on borrowed money and
maintenance cost.
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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

Progress:
Most design procedures are indirect, in that a design concept is
proposed and then successively analyzed, evaluated, corrected,
and reanalyzed until the final results fulfill the designers'
demands.
The success of such a design process depends very much on the
initial design concept proposed and, on the opinions,
judgements and experience of the designers.
As such, the corresponding design process is often relatively
ineffective since the structural type and arrangement,
architectural layout and electrical\mechanical equipment are
often simply devised and copied from previous designs.
Because great numbers of such edifices will be required to fulfill
the accelerating demands of urban commerce, it is vital to
establish comprehensive method for the design of high-rise
buildings.
Contemporary requirements:
Today, energy has a key role in socio-economic development of a
country.
By using fossil fuels as one of the largest energy consumption
sources throughout the world, it seems to be vital to find
renewable alternatives energy sources or ways of reducing
energy demands, especially in tall buildings with their great
potential to use sustainable sources because of their height.

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 Damascus University
Faculty of Architectural Engineering

References:
Pooya lotfabadi | Eastern Mediterranean University |
article in renewable and sustainable energy reviews.
Siavash khajehpour | A thesis presented to the University
of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Prof. Dr. -Ing. Christoph Odenbreit| University of
Luxembourg | ArcelorMittal Chair of Steel and Façade
Engineering.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=high+rise+buildingd&FO
RM=IE8SRC&pc=EUPP_
https://www.wikipedia.com/search?q=history+high+rise+t
ower

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